The Morning After
by bushixx
Summary: Ever wondered how the characters ended up where they did in 19 years time? Here is what first happened after the epic battle in which Voldemort ceased to exist starting with the Morning After...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Harry woke with a start, at first, he still thought that he was in Shell cottage, then the previous day's events rushed forth from his memory to the forefront of his mind which was still in a slightly confused state due to the 15 hours' sleep he'd just overcome. He went slightly dizzy as he regained consciousness and his brain went into overdrive, leaving him a need to lie back down again. Gringotts, the dragon, the castle, the diadem, the elder wand, the hidden room, the near-death experience, then the final fight in the great hall, all of it flashed before his mind's eye and before he had time to properly process the emotion behind every memory, the next image arrived to divert his attention. This was very overwhelming and for a few minutes, he just stared up at the ceiling of his dormitory, this too brought back memories, one's which weren't as recent but memories which his heart had been aching to relive for a good few months since he'd left Hogwarts.

After gathering his bewildered thoughts up in a neat and comprehensive order, Harry thought it safe to get up. As he did so, (still pretty slowly as an extra precaution) his emotions battled inside him. Terrible, terrible grief wallowed inside him, that for Fred, probably still lying in the great hall, his family unable to leave him, for Tonks and Lupin, their eyes unseeing, but their hands still somewhat close together. Yet he also felt a wonderful, wonderful relief, to know that it was all over. To know that the biggest and deadliest threat in his and everyone else's lives had finally been extinguished. He felt relieved and victorious in equal measures. By coming back to Hogwarts, and for knowing that Voldemort was no more, the two things he had been striving for, what he now realised, his entire life since he was 11. A luminous ray of hope now shined on his future, one that had been endangered every time he progressed through another year of his life since his 11 birthday, and been completely extinct since Dumbledore suggested to him the only way to kill Voldemort; a ray of hope that brightened his whole life and everyone in it.

As Harry sat there on the edge of his bed, his thoughts depressed slightly as he remember Remus' and Tonks' son Teddy and the responsibilities that they had imposed upon him if every they were harmed. He imagined what it would be like for the next few years, having to godfather their son, and to be reminded of their sacrifice every time he looked into little Teddy's features, to imagine that he had indirectly condemned an innocent child to a future that of an orphans. He knew what it was like to be an orphan, and he wouldn't want to lay out the same sort of life for another for he knew how it felt not to have a father to guide you when you most needed it, for a mother not to hug you and comfort you, protect you from the dangers that he had had to welcome with open arms as he didn't have any other choice. This he knew and he was going to strive to stop Teddy being abandoned as he had been for the first ten years after his parents had been slaughtered.

Harry forced his thoughts to stop so he could go out of the room without having an emotional meltdown. This he managed quite well, too well, this surprised him slightly as he made his way out of the dormitory, he noticed that although the castle had just undergone a state of siege, the dormitory seemed spotless (even if it was completely deserted), he guessed that no-one had been there to allow entry into the common room. This would be a likely explanation as he seemed to remember the subjects of all the paintings screaming at other pictures in order to deliver messages of destruction happening somewhere else. He slowly descended the steps outside his room and into the common room which was so forcibly reminding. How many times had they spent their time in this room? The room had grown on him without him really realising. His gaze fell upon the fire; Sirius' head had talked to him from that fire once, twice, three times! Him, Ron and Hermione had conversed in silent whispers of different theories each of them had about the strange things that had happened, whether it had been a secret or whether it had been public. He then ended up glancing at the good armchairs, he faintly remembered Ron intimidating smaller pupils in order to get those seats before Hermione wafted Ron out of them and politely offered the child their seats again. This bought a soft, sad chuckle to his lips, but the recent past was too eclipsing over those moments that the laughter didn't stay for long.

He decided to focus himself on safely getting out and directing his footsteps to the great hall, refusing to be reminded by any portraits or ornaments around the corridors. He knew the atmosphere was going to be that of a sad one as people knew that grieving for their families and friend's was a priority before the victory and happiness of Voldemort's downfall.

He entered the great hall and was surprised to see that the tables weren't there. Instead of all of them having been vanished, two had been set to the side so that there was still some untouched and abandoned food for breakfast, but also with a enclosed space in the middle of the hall. Where there were beds accommodating the injured, the dead had been moved and set aside on the platform, and in the remaining space, Ministry officials had finally arrived, and were rounding up anyone known for having been on Voldemort's side. He was surprised by the fact that all the rubble from the corridors outside and in the hall was all gone, and the hall looked as good as it had only done. The only difference was that the grand enchantment set on the ceiling to imitate the sky outside had been shattered. Instead a rather mundane cover with patterns following the same theme of the walls was there instead. Everything apart from the table arrangements and the people actually in the hall was the same. So familiar.

The occupants went quiet as everyone's stare pierced him, holding him in that position, leaving him feeling as though a spotlight had suddenly been turned on and swivelled to his direction. He gulped rather nervously, not really sure what to do, this feeling left him swiftly as his own gaze fell upon the corpses on the platform, he spotted the bright ginger hair of Fred, in somewhere roughly in the middle of the platform, he took seeked out the shabby coat and scarred face of Remus and the cheerful colour of Tonks' hair, her bold purple shirt stood out from the rest of the murky colours.

Ginny came bustling out from the crowd, her arms outstretched and a hard but pained expression upon her features, and automatically, Harry felt nothing but the need to feel her soft skin, to console myself that nothing had truly happened to her, and he wrapped myself around her in a close embrace, wanting to let out all his sadness in that one kiss.

This seemed to take the audience out of their trance. Ron and Hermione presented themselves. Ron looked as though he was still in refusal to accept the inevitable about Fred, his eyes rather red from lack of sleep whereas Hermione launched into speech the second she managed to make herself known.

'Harry, they're taking the Malfoy's!' She said in quiet desperation, obviously hoping I'd back her up in her aid to stop this injustice. 'Tell them that they're not dark wizards anymore, tell them how Narcissa lied on your behalf, how we saved Draco and how they ended up being forced by Voldemort.' She exclaimed all this in a rather loud manner in order for everyone else to hear aswell. He could tell why, they were indeed in a position which suggested that the Malfoy's were being arrested. A Ministry guard had both of Draco's hands behind his back; Narcissa's upper arm was being held by another brutal looking guard in what looked like a painful vice grip, whereas Lucius's hands were already handcuffed. He had never seen such demented looks on Narcissa's and Lucius's features. He knew what sacrifice Narcissa had made for the safety of her family, even intended put herself at risk not to bring them to harm.

Harry walked forward and saw everyone's facial expression change slightly as their heads were already turned (as everyone's already was) to him. The Malfoy's were obviously on the borderline of wary and hopeful yet unexpectant. Their expressions changed completely as he walked over and broke the Ministry guard holding Narcissa's grip. Her eye's widened slightly whereas Draco looked at him in confusion.

'I won't argue that these people haven't done anything wrong,' he started, 'but that doesn't mean that these people haven't done any good to cancel that out.'

'Narcissa lied to Voldemort at a time that if she didn't, then he would probably still be alive and I wouldn't be,' he stated rather boldly, remembering how grateful he was that Narcissa loved her son more than he wanted Voldemort to win his fight with him. He saw Draco and Lucius both direct their eyes to Narcissa who lowered her eyes, tears once more filling them.

'And anyway,' he continued, 'these past few months, I think Voldemort had been more forcing them to do his bidding under the threat of killing the other of them.' It seemed that although many of the people couldn't really believe that the Malfoy's had truly come back to their side, no-one really wanted to disregard what he had said. Afterall, Voldemort had only gone because Harry had the guts to oppose him, and had the strength to see it through.

'Yes, but you can't just forget all the witches, wizards and muggles that these people have tortured and even killed, how many years that these people have been devoted to the completely wrong side,' a Ministry official piped up. Well it seems not everyone seemed to believe him.

'They've already been given the punishment for their crimes; that too by the person who ordered them to commit those acts. Now that they've finally intentionally helped us in a way without expecting any sort of reward, doing it because they know it's the right thing, which should be enough to let them finally live free of any sort of obligation except for the ones nearest and dearest to them.

He saw the Ministry official blushing slightly; whereas the Malfoy's looked at him with something close to wonder. He now noticed that although Hermione looked as though she would've fully supported he had someone called upon her to give her opinions, Ron looked less than comfortable with the current climate. This did not strike him as surprising. Afterall, the enmity between the Weasley's and Malfoy's ran too deep for Ron to directly side with Draco in any matter.

Neville stepped forward no doubt to come and give him a hug or something along those lines, Harry hadn't realised that he was there. As Neville did so, most of the crowd seemed to finally respect Harry's privacy and turned away. Harry was relieved that now the crowd weren't directly focusing their attention on him, he felt more comfortable.

This moment was short-lived, however. As soon as the crowd turned away, the media arrived. Harry was dazzled as the blinding of hundreds of camera's flashed in his direction, seriously causing damage to his eyes. As well as that there were even more people shouting over each other, yelling for him to answer their questions.

'Mr Potter, where have you been this past year?'

'Harry, do you think that you knew that you would eventually hav-'

'Mr Pott-'

'Mr Potter, how did you m anage-?'

Harry was overwhelmed as so many people jostled around him, trying to divert his attention while still competing with that many other reporters and photographers who kept clicking away. He just stood there, his mind completely blank of what to say with his mouth slightly open, a look of utter astonishment upon his face. He then heard Ron shouting at everyone to shut up and leave them alone. He knew that they were trying to get him out of the consuming crowd.

'He's not bloody going to tell you anything, a flipping war's just happened, now would never be the time!' he tried shouting at the press.

Harry fi nally seemed to find his voice and although the camera's refused to stop, all the reporters hushed up to hear what he had to say.

'Erm, I don't r eally know what to say but, er… a war's just happened, so for now please just leave me be.' he humbly requested.  
>'It's alright Harry, they've been bothering us all before you came,' Ginny whispered in his ear as the camera's resumed their constant flashing and he once again felt grateful at not having to face them all on his own.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Many hours passed of Harry answering the press's questions as best he could while still holding back the information he knew shouldn't go public. This proved rather difficult as the media pressed him on everything he had been doing, wherever he had gone, how he'd managed to get inside the castle, inside Gringotts, inside the Ministry when the protection had been at its highest. He'd ended up just saying that with the help of Ron and Hermione, he'd somehow managed. They weren't satisfied.

They also asked Harry about why he'd decided to come to Hogwarts, which he knew he must avoid answering at all costs, for the answer was based entirely on a truth which he knew mustn't be known to everyone, and especially not in front of a wild batch of reporters which were all either going to twist his words if they were too bland or else print off everything he said in precise detail if it included an exclusive secret which would put everyone's theories in speculation. A piece of information so juicy would be exactly what these people thirsted for and would catch on even if he even indirectly hinted at it. This he was very careful not to do.

Even so, Harry still managed to surprise everyone with the facts that weren't nearly as extraordinary in comparison to the things he didn't say, so that eventually, even if slowly, the reporters, after satisfying themselves, dispersed. He was finally able to focus on the after effects of the war and his prolonged absence.

Lying in Ginny's lap on one of the benches, Harry'd declared that they were to leave the repairing of the rest of castle till tomorrow, now was a time for mourning. They were by Fred's body, Tonks and Remus on Fred's other side. The sight of them made Harry inclined to look away and he did, for hours at a time. For George, no-one seemed to exist with him other than Fred, unable to leave his side, he stared into Fred face, his identical features rather expressionless, as though he'd kidded himself into thinking Fred was only asleep. This sight made Harry feel even guiltier for having brought this war on everyone who wasn't expecting it.

'Harry?' Harry heard his name being called out and looked around for the unfamiliar voice, glad for an excuse to turn away. His eyes found the same woman he'd seen at the house of Tonks' parents, the woman who I'd nearly attacked before realising that she wasn't Bellatrix, but her sister, Andromeda.

Harry stood up and fully took in the woman's appearance. She had long light brown hair all behind her back, she was wearing a floor length black travelling cloak, her clothes hidden beneath it, but the one thing he noticed straight away was what she had in her arms, a bundle of patterned fabric, in it he soon came to realise was a baby. He felt his mouth dry and open slightly. He now seemed to recall that the last time he'd seen Tonks she'd hurried off shouting that baby Teddy was at her mother's.

Harry felt his legs stiffly taking him closer to the baby. He let himself relive the moment at Shell cottage when Remus arrived announcing that Tonks had had the baby, and then him telling Harry that he was to be Teddy's godfather; all about an eon ago. It seemed the time had arrived when he needed to fulfil that responsibility.

Harry stared into the face of Teddy Lupin for the first time. Teddy was asleep at the moment, a tuft of bright hair was visible, the same colour of Andromeda's at the tips of the hairs, but a bright Weasly-ish ginger at the roots. His general face shape seemed to remind him of Remus a lot but he could still detect Tonks in his mouth and nose. He was wrapped tightly in a white cloth of stripy pattern. Harry looked up from Teddy and into the sad, slightly aged eyes of Andromeda.

Harry felt his breathing stutter slightly. It was like looking into the face of Bellatrix all over again, after knowing she'd died already, (having witnessed it himself) he still felt a rush of loathing for the woman and was reminded of his own godfather in that instant. But this wasn't that woman; this was an innocent person having not committed any crime other than to have the same ancestors of the evil woman.

'Remus had told me that you were godfather, so he's yours,' she said, she said it without any real emotion. Harry knew that her husband had died right before her daughter and son-in-law followed, leaving her all alone with no-one to accompany her but her grandson; which she was giving away to his rightful guardian.

'Yes,' he spoke, rather gormlessly he now realised, but Harry knew he was being presented with a lot of responsibility by being the guardian of a 3-4 month old baby.

Harry now realised that Ginny and Hermione had got up and had walked up to him, both either staring at Teddy or Andromeda. Ginny looked straight up at him.

'I know Mum'll help you,' she declared, clearly interpreting Harry's silence correctly. She held out her arms for the bundle of fabric in Andromeda's protection, and stared expectantly at Andromeda. She gave Teddy to her mechanically, this Harry caught and he started to pity Andromeda, but made a mental note to try and support her as best he could, she withdrew her arms, he know realised that she was still holding her wand in her gloved hands, and she gave a forced smile before turning away and leaving in the direction of the entrance hall doors. Harry stared after her before he realised that Ginny, looking straight at him again, was holding Teddy out to him.

Harry tried supporting Teddy as best he could, still rather awkwardly, he finally saw the innocence of the baby in his arms and he felt the irresistible urge to making a coo. He refrained himself, half due to the fact that he knew many people were listening even if they were hiding it, and half due to the fact that he knew baby Teddy was asleep anyway. Harry walked back to where he had lain before, but this time decided to sit in his seat rather than lie and take up the whole space. His arms still in an awkward cradle, he saw Hermione give the closest thing to a radiant smile in the current situation as she looked at Harry's godson. She held out her arms and he unhesitantly gave Teddy to her.

She immediately took him in her arms and, her smile more pronounced than ever, she held him up to her face and touched her nose on his. Harry chuckled slightly, thinking that there must just be something about girls that make them more comfortable than boys with babies; it didn't particularly bother him though, he knew that ever since we were very young, Hermione had always been much better about working out emotions and understanding feelings than Ron. He stared at Hermione, and she looked back up at him, her face still bearing small injuries of the recent battle, a cut on her lip and a particularly deep graze on her head that had already been bandaged. However, it didn't stop her looking as though some of her mournfulness had eased off as she smiled at him.

'I'm glad you're alright Harry,' she said with true emotion. He gave a soft grin with true warmth in return, then registering Ginny may feel neglected, he wrapped his arm around her waist and stared into her eyes, the exact same shade as her mothers, and she looked back.

Hermione, realising she was probably better off somewhere else, decided to gently direct herself to where Mrs Weasley happened to be sitting by Fred along with most of the other Weasley's. He had time to register Fleur rushing up to her before he was lost with Ginny.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After an exhausting day of sitting in the great hall by all the Weasley's and receiving all the thanks of student's and parent's who'd come to help and even signing a few people's possessions, Harry came back up to Gryffindor tower still holding Teddy in his arms with Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville following him. The little baby was still asleep. He laughed inwardly as he thought of how much this tiny creature slept and what would happen when it woke up.

He was careful not to jostle the baby too much as he walked for he already felt he owed it to Remus and Tonks to be careful with the one thing that still made Harry feel close to them. He had been honored by them to have made him the godfather of little Teddy. But this was also going to be a huge responsibility that Harry was worried he may not be able to fulfil.

They finally turned a corner and saw that the Fat Lady's portrait and in it was, predictably, the Fat Lady, still looking troubled and downtrodden of the recent events. She didn't wait for a password, but swung forward to reveal the entrance without a word. They climbed into the portrait hole and into the common room that looked warm and welcoming so much unlike the rest of the castle with bits of stone and rubble strewn everywhere. However, the common room wasn't desserted as it had been that morning when Harry had walked through it's interiors alone. There were other wounded but mending Gryffindors resting in the far corners of the room. They're shadows enhanced by the flames dancing in the fireplace.

As soon as they arrived, they immediately scattered. Neville was heading in the direction of the boys dormitory's, Ron and Hermione, arm's around waists, slowly walked into a corner where a cosy looking armchair resided while Harry, Teddy and Ginny comforted themselves in the couches in front of the fire. Harry sank onto the far seat, laying Teddy in his lap and patting the seat next to him for Ginny. Ginny sat and immediately took Teddy so that he lay the opposite way, obviously intending for them both to be able to look at him properly. Harry thought he could see his own little family forming. One free of official bonds like marriage or biological children. This made him feel much better about having to raise Teddy.

He knew that whatever he did from now on, Ginny would be as much a part of it as he wanted her to be, if that meant something as little as having to make dinner or else something as big as parenting someone else's child. She looked up at him and Harry was infinitely grateful to have her there. She then turned to Teddy and Harry realised with a jolt that he was finally stirring into consciousness.

He had no idea why he should be nervous at a baby finally waking, he thought he should be more manly. After all, he was the famous Harry Potter and if he couldn't face a waking baby, he'd have been doomed ever since his first birthday. He gave a weak smile when Ginny turned again to register his reaction, but that smile immediately fell when she turned to Teddy again. Unlike Harry, it seemed Ginny was positively beaming as Teddy waked up. He tried to be just as excited as Ginny but it proved rather difficult.

Teddy's eyes blinked a few times before they finally remained open. An amusing look of bewilderment took over his face. His mouth opened and the bottom part of his lip went inside his mouth while his eyes widened. Harry eased up slightly when Teddy did this, noting how he looked so much like Tonks. They stayed there for a while, Harry and Ginny both staring in Teddy's direction while Teddy himself seemed to be completely oblivious to their attention. He was looking all around him, taking in the scenery of the Gryffindor common room. The warm glow of it, all the comfy armchairs scattered around the huge but low ceilinged room. He seemed too absorbed by his strange new surroundings. Only then did he notice the two people by him. Ginny caught his eye first. He laughed in response to Ginny's encouraging smile, completely blanking out Harry, but Harry didn't mind. He was far more comfortable watching their quiet exchange rather than being part of it.

Ginny and Teddy sat there for a few minutes, Ginny making funny sounds and weird noises, making up the most simple yet ridiculous games just to hear Teddy laugh. He started laughing but also slobbered. Harry found this rather gruesome, not in a blood-curdling inside-wrentching gruesome, just the sort to make you frown and think _doesn't it need cleaning?_

However, Teddy started to become bored with simply lying there, watching Ginny so he started becoming restless. He kept on shaking his head from one side to the other and started kicking. Ginny laughed while using both hands to hold him up by his waist so that he stood unsteadily on Ginny's lap. He continued kicking, looking almost as though he were doing a dance all the while laughing a high pitched and adorable laugh with his protrudent eyes stuck to Ginny's and even Harry started chuckling. Harry unthinkingly offered his finger to one of the baby's miniscule fists and Teddy's stare moved from Ginny to Harry. Teddy's face changed, he stopped laughing but resumed a look of bemusement. Harry was confused as to why Teddy should take such a reaction to him.

Ginny too looked at him, a smile still etched upon her face at Harry's bewilderment so he loosened up slightly.

'I don't think he mind's you, but he still likes me better,' She announced and Harry sensed that she could interpret the baby's actions much better than Harry could. He still became playfully defiant at her words.

'Oh, really?' he replied smirking.

'Go on, then. Prove me wrong,' she challenged offering Teddy to him. Harry knew that he was more likely to lose this little bet but it didn't stop him having a go. He was, after-all, a particularly brave Gryffindor, even if it meant he dragged himself into a bet despite him knowing he'd come off worse.

He took Teddy into his arms, noticing his clothing, that of a blue baby suit, beneath it was what felt like a diaper. Harry realised that his own face must be windowing his own apprehension and that Ginny must be carefully watching his expression, therefore he masked his emotion to that of a playful smile glancing in her direction.

She seemed to see past his facade and lost her playful edge to that of an understanding smile.

'Don't worry, you'll get the hang of him soon,' she murmured still gazing up at him. Harry chose not to answer, instead wrapping his arm around her shoulder where she automatically snuggled herself in a little more.

Ginny was unintentionally loosening her grip on Teddy, having been slightly preoccupied with Harry, and as a result, he lost his balance, tripped over a crease on Ginny's skirt and fell onto Harry's stomach. This was the first time Harry held Teddy while both of them were conscious. Teddy started crying from his fall. Harry very inexpertly and awkwardly held him up to eye level. Teddy was still crying and this made Harry feel even more out-of-place. He really hadn't any sort of experience in this sort of situation or indeed, anything related to babies or otherwise. He sucked it up, resisting the urge to pass Teddy to Ginny, for he knew if he just did that, he would get into the habit and wouldn't ever be able to handle Teddy.

Inexplicably, Ron and Hermione strolled into his mind, and Harry felt the need to check what they were doing. Still holding Teddy rather awkwardly, he turned and saw them lying on the armchair, Hermione leaning on Ron looking peaceful but for some reason, there was something private about their moment, something which made Harry uncomfortable about looking their direction. So he turned from one uncomfortable scene, to the one that he was in, once again facing young Teddy.

He had stopped crying but was still sobbing, so Harry tried displaying an unhearty grin. Teddy responded by doing something to completely throw Harry and Ginny. He grinned widely and at the same time, his gingery-browny hair turned the palest blonde, like that of the Malfoys, yet paler, almost white, making him look like he might've aged 50 years. Harry and Ginny both stared, this time with completely genuine smiles of shock upon their faces. Teddy looked as though he was trying to be innocent, for he knew Harry and Ginny suspected he'd had intentionally changed the hair of his colour, purely for the pleasure of their reactions. He grinned, tucking his chin into the hollow of his neck and shoving a fat fist over a slobery grin, like someone guilty of a innocent crime would do.

'I never expected his power's to be so developed,' Ginny murmured. Harry thought she was stating the obvious but chose not to mention it.

'He's amazing.' He said in awe. 'Although I never expected any less from Remus and Tonks' son.' He quickly added

Ginny responded by looking up at him, grinning in agreement. Harry beamed back. Teddy looking at both of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Harry woke up groggily from having fallen asleep on the couch infront of the fire in the common room infront of the fire. He looked around and realised it was the middle of the night. Silver moonlight was streaming in through the gaps in the curtains in he left hand side of the circular room. It was only then he realised what he'd woken up because of.

Teddy was crying. Loudly and annoyingly. He would've been irritated, but being a light sleeper was something he'd adapted himself this past year, being on the watch-out outside their tent all night had rubbed off on him. He now woke at the slightest sound incase it happened not be an innocent disturbance. But being woken up while being in at the very heart of his sleep he was ruffled. He looked around, slowly processing everything in. The fire infront of them had died out and only a mute glowing was left behind. It seemed that both Ginny and Teddy had been lying on him, all of them residing on the very comfortable couch. He had no idea if Ron and Hermione were still where they had been last night. The first thing he was fully conscious of thinking was why Teddy was crying.

His and Teddy's stirring was now waking up Ginny aswell. Harry immeditiately made shushing sounds at Teddy, trying to get him to calm down enough for him not to wake anyone else. He moved as slowly as possible trying not to jostle Ginny while still managing to have a strong grip on Teddy. He noticed Ginny turn in her sleep slightly, now alone on the couch as he took Teddy into his arms and headed for the portrait hole. He let himself out into the cool air of the corridor beyond, completely lit by the moonlight filtering through the patterened and arched windows all along the opposite side of the corridor.

He just stood there for a few minutes, jsut holding the crying Teddy who was now going red, not just complexion but his blonde hair was now changing aswell, it too was turning a feirce pink. Harry would've laughed, except the circumstances were such that he wasn't in the mood. He tried cheering Teddy up, making funny faces and weird noises, bobbing him up and down in his arms all the while and patting his back in a steady rythme. None of this helped, Teddy was beyond reason, he cried and cried and started to make himself very, very annoying. Harry was starting to get very frustrated, thinking of why the baby would be crying so badly that he was.

He turned around and faced Ginny, who was climbing out the portrait hole to meet him, behind her was a very angry looking Ron and a sleepy Hermione. They all came and huddled around Harry and the still screaming Teddy.

'He woke us all up,' Hermione once again stated the obvious.

'Can't you get it to shut up?' Ron immediatley demanded looking very annoyed.

'What do you think I'm trying to do?' Harry retorted. It wasn't so much as Teddy's crying, more Ron's frustration that was getting to Harry. And it seemed that it wasn't only them that Teddy had disturbed. Even the ancient corridor, which had seen through thousand's of generations of students, looked interefered in it's stillness and peaceful atmosphere of the night.

'Look, maybe it's hungry,' Hermione, suggested, taking Teddy from Harry and continuing the bobbing soothing rythme that Harry had been using to calm him down.

'Even I get hungry in the middle of the night, but I don't wake up and start screaming my arse off trying to get food...' Ron grumbled to himself. It seemed everyone ignored him, rather than respond. Indeed, Harry had enough experience blocking out Ron's continuous mumbling and scowling months ago in the tent and found it easy to just block him out again, instead find a solution to the minor problem of food.

'Maybe we could get food from the kitchens',' Ginny supplied, siding Hermione to help her with Teddy.

'Yeah, we could but all the elves there are most likely sleeping,' Harry contradicted. He was finding it much easier focusing on the getting Teddy's food than fighting with Ron, who was still standing there, a little apart from them, still brooding away at his stolen sleep.

'What about Kreacher?' Ginny started, looking at Harry.

'Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten.'

'You can't do that!' Hermione suddenly interrupted, looking at Harry with shock on her face. 'That poor thing must be resting from having fought for us all yesterday.' Harry was now not only frustrated at Ron, but also Hermione.

'Hermione, what else are we to do?' Harry asked watching Hermione splutter to find an alternative solution.

'We could just go to the kitchen ourselves,' She finally came up with half-heartedly trying to hold Teddy still for he was thrashing around, kicking and yelling in her arms.

'Yeah, and wake all the house elves sleeping there,' Harry finished off for her. She seemed not to be able to find an excuse. Harry waited for her to start contradicting him again, but she didn't. It seemed her exhausted brain couldn't work properly after only about three hours sleep simultaneously holding a begrudged baby.

'Okay then, I'll call Kreacher and we'll see what he can get us,' Harry stated in a manner of checking whether it's okay with everyone. He stared particularly at Hermione but it was Ginny who spoke next.

'That's all very well, but what are we going to ask from him. What does Teddy eat?' She looked at Hermione, obviously expecting her to come up with some genious answer.

'I'm starting to wish we still had Andromeda, she would've known what to do,' Harry said to no-one in particular.

'What do all babies drink?' Hermione said, with an air of knowing the answer, but trying to get us to actually say it.

'Milk,' Ginny instantly supplied.

'So we could ask Kreacher for milk,' Harry elaborated cautiously, starting at Hermione incase he got the wrong idea.

'Exactly,' Hermione look pleased. 'Now you can call Kreacher,' She prompted.

Harry gave her a look, before he turned around to the empty corridor that still look ruffled from it's sleeping interiors. Teddy's yell's echoed down the walls particularly loudly, made it seem eerier than it had been whenever Harry used to walk down and past the portraits and ornaments along the walls.

'Kreacher?' He called, exactly how he had done last year, when he had wanted him to tail Malfoy incase he had been up to anything he should've been. He was apprehensive this time, for the last time he'd done this, he'd recieved two elves, both fighting each other, but this apprehension was lost as he remembered how one of those elves died just afew weeks ago.

Another sound coupled that of Teddy's crying. A loud crack, like that of a thunderbolt but on a much smaller scale. Kreacher appeared just a few feet in front of Harry. He immediately bowed, so low that the end of this long croocked nose went past beyond his toes and managed to touch the dusty silvery floor.

'Kreacher find's it incredibly honouring that Master Potter still found him trustworthy enough to call upon him,' He said to the floor in a deep croaky voice. Harry smiled to find that Kreacher still thought of him as his true Master. Indeed, Kreacher looked just as clean and well looked after as he had when Harry, Ron and Hermione had left him back in the tent apart from a few healing injuries on his head and limbs that Harry spotted and that made his smile falter.

'Kreacher, we have a slight issue.' Harry informed him. Kreacher looked up and after carefully looking Harry up and down, incase he, Harry, was injured, his eyes instantly fell on the still yelling Teddy, now in Ginny's arms. Hermione seemed to have surrendered and given him to Ginny instead. Kreacher looked back at Harry in confusion, obviously expecting an explanation.

'Kreacher, this is Teddy, he's my godson.' Harry gestured towards Teddy and he felt an unexpected pride flare up inside of him, _My Godson,_ he replayed the words inside his head and he, for the first time, felt like a parent. But he then turned his attention back to Kreacher who was looking at him with raised eyebrows and a smile.

'Kreacher is happy that young Master Potter has been bestowed with such an honor, I am sure that the child's parents were such honorable people to have made Master Potter the godfather.' He said, bowing yet again.

Harry laughed inwardly at this, he had watched Kreacher muttering about how Andromeda's husband, Tonk's mum and dad, had been mudblood and how Andromeda was a blood traitor for having married him. He was pretty sure that if Kreacher ever found out that Teddy was their grandson, had their _dirty_ blood aswell as the blood of a werewolf, Kreacher wouldn't think so highly of him anymore.

'Thanks Kreacher. Anyway, Teddy here needs food and he woke us all up for it. Is it possible for you to maybe get us some milk?' he asked tentatively. It was then that Kreacher realised Hermione, Ron and Ginny all standing behind Harry. He quickly bowed to each of them. Hermione looked disgusted, on the verge of slapping Harry so that he would command Kreacher to stop bowing to people. Harry tried his best to hide a chuckle. That didn't mean she didn't try.

'Kreacher, you know, you don't need to bow at us,' She said gently. Kreacher either didn't hear or else just blocked her out. It seemed even he was familiar with her tendancy to stop him from something he wanted to do.

'Young Master Teddy needs milk and Kreacher shall try his best to satisfy Master Teddy and let Master Potter and his friends to get back to sleep.' Kreacher concluded.

'Thank you Kreacher,' Harry sighed, feeling relieved. Kreacher bowed before apparating with yet another loud crack.

Harry turned back around. Ginny was busy trying to get Teddy to calm down again while Hermione was hovering a little behind her looking relieved. Harry looked for Ron and then her realised Ron was 5 feet away from them, lying asleep in a very dirty dusty edge against the wall, with a growl still etched upon his face even though he was breathly very deeply in a low and slow rythme. Hermione and Ginny both turned to look at where Harry was looking and both saw Ron who must've fallen asleep at some point during their conversation. Hermione and Ginny both looked at each other and started laughing. Harry chuckled in harmony but decided to spare Ron the shame and walked over to wake him up again.

He apprached Ron, his mouth open and drooling over the floor. Harry shook him roughly and called him to wake up. Ron started pushing Harry away, turning his head away and made the sort of noises a child makes when his mother forces him out of bed for school.

Kreacher reappeared in the same spot he had left from. This time with a small sized cauldron, in it a pugnant smelling white liquid that was steaming. Kreacher was holding the handle without actually touching it, instead holding a clothe to protect his hands from burning. Harry decided to ditch Ron and attend to Kreacher instead.

Kreacher spotted Harry as he came and bowed, though rather awkwardly as he was holding the cauldron.

'Master Potter called for the milk, Kreacher boiled it for he thought it would be more prudent for the young Master Teddy,' Kreacher stated, still looking at the floor. Harry bent down on one knee to reach his height. He took the cauldron from him muttering 'Thanks Kreacher.'

Harry took the cauldron back to where Ginny stood with Teddy who was rather still compared to how we was before but still making the same, if not more, noise. Hermione stepped forward holding a flask. Harry looked up at her, wondering where he got she got the flask from. She simply shrugged and they both looked back down at the feeding of Teddy.

Ginny was trying to hold Teddy still and while Harry held the cauldron, Hermione dipped the flask into the steaming cauldron, filled it halfway and brought it nearer to Teddy's mouth. He stopped crying for a few seconds to allow Hermione to clumsily tip some of the milk down his mouth. Most of it spilled down his chin and onto his clothing but he seemed satisfied enough to allow more. Hermione refilled the flask and proceeded to try feed Teddy again. This time, she succeeded to not waste most of it by dripping it all down his chin.

And so she carried for atleast another half an hour, on until the cauldron was nearly empty and Teddy looked as though he was drinking the milk unconsciously rather than being fully aware he was. Over in the corner, Ron was sleeping just as soundly as Teddy now was and Harry felt as though he wouldn't be able to keep his eye's open any longer. Hermione was constantly yawning while Ginny had a dangerously slack hold on Teddy. Harry turned in an almost dream-like state to thank Kreacher yet again but he wasn't there. It seems Kreacher must've left without them realising, he tried to think how that could've happened as whenever Kreacher left, he made a terribly loud crack. His mind was slow and he couldn't think properly therefore he came up with no answer. He looked down at the repaired watch on his left hand and saw that it was half past four. He really needed his sleep and so he turned to the others and suggested going back. They both nodded. Harry and Ginny both completely forgot about Ron sleeping in the corner. Hermione, however, faithfully went and crouched down to try and get him to wake up. Harry spared her the strength and instead of waking him up, he took Ron's arm, flung it around his shoulder and picked him up by his waist. Slowly and painfully, he forced Ron through the portrait hole with Hermione's help and Ginny was busy holding Teddy. They spent a good few minutes doing this as managing it was difficult.

When they finally reached the common room, they didn't have the will power to walk up the dormitories, so Hermione and Ron both fell asleep in the same warm armchair they'd been in last night, meanwhile Harry, Ginny and Teddy all resumed their seats in the couch by the fire and didn't wake till morn.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I woke up feeling very content, not as though I was awake due to any disturbance otherwise I would've been annoyed and reluctant at getting up. However, I regained consciousness at my own will and blinking my eye's a few time's, I yawned. Trying to clear my head a few memories came back to me. They weren't particularly vivid, very vague they were. I wasn't even sure it was real but I didn't bother myself too much with these happenings, I only remembered waking up, it being dark and then being feeded by dark and unknown strangers. They would've scared me with their unfamiliarity and their untrustworthy niceness but I didn't really have time to register them last night as I must've been too hungry.

I carefully stretched, not having much space to move, all I could do was open my mouth wide as possible in a yawn as wide as I could manage. I also tried stretching my arms, but when I tried, I noticed something was preventing that, it seemed someone had wrapped me up in something or else I was wearing something comfortable but a little too small for me. I didn't look down to check which as I wasn't too uncomfortable in it. It was then I noticed my what was around me. I looked around and noticed the red and golden room bathed in sunlight. Not a single dark spot as the light reached every corner and reflecting off every surface so that even the plain and dusk walls looked as though it was giving off it's own light. Although this would've been the perfect sight to wake up to every morning, it also made the room suffocatingly hot. If I could, I would've gotten up and brought myself an ice cold cup of water, not to drink, but to drench myself in. Although the thought of water made my dry throat dryer.

I slowly turned my head from side to side trying to vaguely defy the heat, now wondering exactly where I was. I turned once more, and spotted an arm to the left of me, quite a big arm too, easily bigger than me, placed as though it was cradling me. It was a strong, mascular looking arm, although I couldn't tell exactly as it was clothed with a thin looking dusty blue sweater. I let my eyes follow the arm until I reached the shoulder and then the head connected to the arm. It was high above me, and I had to keep my head arched back as far as it would go for me to see it properly. He too was leaning his head back, although, unlike me, it seemed to be resting on something. The neck that I could plainly see was very elegant looking. The skin there was plain and pale, the shape of the windpipe was clearly visible beneath the skin as well as the shape of the bones half enveloping it and I noticed that his head was lying on a couch armchair. I focused on the unknown face. It had very untidy looking black hair. He seemed to be very mature, or at-least mature compared to my pudgy self, he looked late teens at the very least, or else early twenties at the most. He looked strong, his face slashed with faded scars, in fact no, not scars exactly, but hints at scars. He was certainly bruised, he looked clean though. For some inexplicable reason, he seemed vaguely familiar, although I couldn't think where and when I'd seen him before yet I wasn't afraid of him as I would've been of someone else that I knew was completely unknown.

It was only then when I realised I wasn't the only thing using this man's stomach as a pillow. I looked to the right of me and saw a woman. She looked beautiful. She had a beautiful trail of gingery red hair lain across her face with features all in proportion to each other. Her tinted red lips where slightly open as she was resting and her cheeks were coloured with freckles, hiding a dull pink, slightly orange blush which only enhanced her eyes. She looked very slightly younger than the man. Or maybe it was just that her face bore less marks, less scars and less bruises which made her seem more innocent, as though she had encountered less war and hardships and therefore seemed generally more naive then the man, but not by too much. Either way, she looked elegant, she had a beautiful face shape, looking soft and gentle yet also hard and able. Her hand lay softly close to her face. She too was familiar in the same way the strange man was. I couldn't think why, but I felt I'd seen her before this morning.

We were all squashed up on a couch. I looked back at the arm on my right and past it I saw a fireplace. Thankfully it wasn't lit as the room was so hot just by the sunshine streaming in, it would be suffocating with the added heat of the fire. The rest of my surroundings were all a shade of red. I figured this would look very warm and welcoming if lit at night. Right now, however, the room was bathed in golden rays entering from the high windows that were out of sight for me.

I deflated back again, slumped back in my position, having nothing else to do wasn't very comforting. I simply lay there, staring straight in front of me. However, I wasn't used to being bored. I immediately became restless, I starting kicking, and felt myself slipping off the man's stomach. I realised I was slipping dangerously towards the edge of the couch so I promptly stopped throwing a tantrum and therefore resorted to my mouth. I felt my lungs expand with the air it was taking in to use as a shout. I then let all that air out making sure to use my voice at the same time. I felt my yell jerk the sleeping man into consciousness. I carried on yelling, careful to make sure my arms or legs didn't move too much as I would end up over the edge of the cushion.

The man seemed confused at first, not sure what to do or what exactly had happened. He seemed to process what was going on, and then slowly, so as not to wake the woman, he picked me up, wrapping his huge hands around me at the same time, keeping a steady hold on me, while I carried on screaming just to make sure I made myself known. He picked me up, holding me so that I was facing opposite to him. Before he turned me around, however, he made sure he untangled himself from the woman and had his feet on the floor and wasn't contacting her in anyway as a precaution before he turned me around to face him.

I was several feet above the ground but I didn't dwell on that as the man held me facing him and then brought me to his shoulder. I also heard him sigh 'Teddy' as he did so. It took me some time to realise that he was talking about me when he said that, afterall, 'Teddy' was what they always said whenever they referred to me. As he brought me to his shoulder and started patting my back in a rhythmic beat, I also noticed something on the skin of his neck just beyond his thin, faded blue sweater. It looked like a thin red mark. Another scar! I realised. It looked an unusual scar. Although from a distance, it looked just like any other scar, thin and long, but close-up, I realised it was patterned. This was a bewildering fact. I looked closer, still between yells, and saw that it looked like a burn. I thought how this could've happened. I came up with two theories, he'd either cut himself with a hot knife, or else a locket with a very fine chain must've burnt him. After straining my head too hard about which one of these theories would be more likely, I put it out of my head, still yelling into the man's shoulder. My eye's were starting to water from my effort of keeping up the noise and the man started making hushing noises as well as the patting and bobbing on the spot. I then noticed that he'd been yawning just as much as me screaming. I took pity on the man and ceased my determination in the constant and annoying screeches because I knew the man was awake.

The man stopped bobbing me and pulled me back with a look of questioning confusion and exasperation, as though he expected nothing better than my abrupt stop in yelling. As though he knew I hadn't done it because I was particularly aggravated, or hungry, but merely that I was bored. I wanted to amuse the man further therefore then tried putting all my efforts into something fluffy that I knew existed on the top of my head. I didn't know exactly what happened due to my concentration, what he outcome was. All I felt was a slight tingling sensation run through my scalp, like a charge of electricity but much milder, softer and more pleasant, and then leave through my head to meet that same fluffy thing, changing it as it went, from the roots to the tips. I had no idea exactly what I'd done or whether it made any difference, I just liked the feeling of the people watching me become surprised and a little confused when they see me doing it. The first time it'd happened, I thought it had just been the expression on my face as I frowned in determination and clenched my fists without me realising that they were entertained by, but that had been before I'd noticed that odd tickling and pleasant feeling emitting from my scalp.

Like they always do, the man started looking, still with a vaguely confused expression never leaving his face. I supposed that that was just due to the fact that it was quite early in the morning judging by the fact that the room we were in was pretty much empty apart from the odd sleeping person dotted around on the countless couches and armchairs, or else drooling on the shiny polished tables. I disregarded it and soaked up the pleasure of having managed to entertain this man who was starting to warm on me despite me only knowing him about 5 minutes. Or atleast that's all I so far remember. Laughing with him, even I relaxed a little realising for the first time just how stiff I'd been until then, moving about much more in his muscular and firm arms. Me laughing more than he, as he was merely chuckling but with a huge grin in place, still trying not to make too much noise it seemed yet looking at me with adoration.

He turned rather abruptly and swiftly and slowly redirected himself to somewhere that I couldn't see. As he did, I saw the sleeping woman still lying on the couch which we had all been in a few minutes ago. Slowly bobbing away from her and towards where-ever this man was taking me too, I looked after the woman. She looked just as stunning as she had done earlier, her hair reflecting the sun and making it seem paler. I noticed now that her hair was much more ginger than I'd previously scanned her appearance when she had been sleeping much closer to me. Her hand lay in the same graceful position and from what I could see now, she was rather tall, her feet dangled over the edge of the couch but held in place by her ankles. Her slim self was curled in a sideward's position on the squashy cushions she was sleeping on, yet the picture seemed incomplete. Her body language said she was missing something like a pillow and I knew the image must've been complete when me and the man were there.

**A/N: **Hey! so thanks for being this far bored to actually manage to read up til the fifth chapter! I'd just like to mention why this chapter is different, not plot-wise, but language-wise. So far I have been intentionally writing the chapters in third person, I may have made some mistakes, and I sincerely apologise about that, I may have, halfway through the story, switched to writing from first-person PoV without realising but I think I've corrected all those mistakes now (hopefully). I thought that now I wanted to more focus on Harry's and Teddy's godfather/godson relationship and I thought that wouldn't work so well from Harry's third person PoV as he was too involved in everything to focus on one particular aspect of his life. I thought this would maybe work better if I did it from Teddy's PoV despite him being very, very young. I wanted to skip a couple of years to remedy this problem but then thought that I would miss ample load of opportunities! You may think that Teddy's language in this chapter is too developed him only being less than year old, but this is done intentionally. If it had been within the vocabulary that Teddy's so far managed to learn, I would be writing nothing more 'hehe, hoooooooo, blahblahblah...' and so on so forth!


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